Bradford pear problems

[capetrees]

Customer called for a pruning of two Bradford pears, both well irrigated, well maintained in manicured gardens, both 8"-10"" trunks, 20' tall. Owners are looking to prune them back, probably about 1/3 of the crown. Got there and both trees look like this, this just being a small sprig. Any ideas what I'm looking a? Anthracnose? Drought/heat related? Should I wait till this is diagnosed and cured before pruning in the winter?

 

[Del_]

Fire blight.

 

[The Singing Arborist]

Fire blight is very bad for flowering pears. If you do prune them, you need to sterilize your pruners with lysol spray in between each cut. If you don't you will cross contaminate this disease to other parts of the tree.

 

[jomoco]

Bradford pears are supposed to be fireblight resistant, unlike ornamental pears, mangled n ugly because of it.

Jomoco

 

[ATH]

??? Bradford IS ornamental pear. I've never heard of them being resistant. Not as susceptible as some other cultivars, and certainly not as bad as some of the commercial pear, but all of the Pyrus calleryana will get it. Maybe Bradford just falls apart in the wind too soon to be frequently infected by fireblight.

 

[jomoco]

Here in SoCal, the Evergreen pear(kawakamii) is far more susceptible to fireblight than the Bradford.

Not only do the pear trees grown for their edible fruit succumb to fire blight, but also ornamental types such as 'Aristocrat' pear trees. While Bradford pear trees are relatively resistant to fire blight, that does not mean that they are totally immune to it (especially in warmer climates). Blackened flowers are an indication of fire blight. Fire blight bacteria can move down a branch and form a canker; it can eventually kill the branch or even the entire specimen. Remember that, since bacteria is at the root of the problem, treatment with a fungicide will have no effect on fire blight.

https://www.thespruce.com/fire-blight-on-bradford-pear-trees-2132820

Jomoco

 

[Jed1124]

Strange to find fireblight this late after flower. Maybe all the rain?

 

[Del_]

Strange to find fireblight this late after flower. Maybe all the rain?

I could be wrong.

 

[capetrees]

Strange to find fireblight this late after flower. Maybe all the rain?

Have only had two big downpours in the last 3 weeks but it is irrigated landscape around it so it does get water. On the other side, it has been very hot and humid for the past three weeks. Does proximity to salt water matter? probably less than 1000 feet.

 

[Jed1124]

I could be wrong.

It certainly does look like fireblight.

 

[Jed1124]

Have only had two big downpours in the last 3 weeks but it is irrigated landscape around it so it does get water. On the other side, it has been very hot and humid for the past three weeks. Does proximity to salt water matter? probably less than 1000 feet.

Hot humid weather certainly makes a good breeding ground for fungal disease. Wet weather will also spread a bacterial disease like fireblight. The only way to be sure is to send a sample to your local extension center. Dr. Nick Brazee heads up the plant pathology department of U Mass Amherst and is very good. I think they charge $20 for a sample.
http://ag.umass.edu/people/nicholas-j-brazee-phd